Breanna Atlee Module #5

For this assignment I worked on taking an activity that I have done in the past and making it more digitally based using Google Docs and Slides. All of the students in my building have Google accounts and we have two laptop carts making it easy to do a project of this kind in the classroom, even with 25+ students.

During our unit of study on the midwest, I like to add a week's worth of study specifically on Illinois. I feel it is highly beneficial, and honestly fun, for the students to spend time gathering a more indepth look at the state that they live in.

In the past this lesson/project has been done over the span of a few weeks, with additional time always needed for collaboration, research and drafting. By making this a more digitally based project, the work time can be shortened to a week, give or take a few days. Students also have the ability to work from home and still get feedback electronically and easily from the teacher, even though not in school.

Making this a digital assignment makes it more collaborative, more easily shared and viewed and allows the students to be more creative with their work.

Here is the link to the overview and template: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1HZicizL6LdwFH6cf2gzTtBmsme7vk6Nx-oI3gcgikv8/edit?usp=sharing

I like using the Google tools because they are fairly user friendly, even for students. It allows for the group collaboration and instant feedback (ITSE 2), the fact that they can research information (ITSE 3) and additional links right from the document. It allows me to monitor and keep all students on task and on track to complete their portion. It allows the students flexibility, creativity, and to present something in a new and fun way (ITSE 1).

Wikispaces

Hello everyone,

For week two module 5 option three I decided to create a wiki page using Wikispaces.

https://flippedlearningmodel.wikispaces.com/The+Flipped+Learning+Model

Did I find the tool easy to use?

For the most part I found Wikispaces to be a simple and easy tool to use. Especially for beginners! It seems that just about everything you could want to do to build a simple set of wiki pages is included in the point and click interface. From inserting text to any number of widgets and embed codes everything can be done without knowing any HTML or CSS code. And for those with some knowledge of web design, Wikispaces includes a simple CSS editor so that you can apply your own styles to your wiki page. If you don’t know much about web development Wikispaces offers a quick 

and easy way to get your content online.

Can I use the wiki with students?

Yes I can certainly see many uses for Wikispaces in the classroom. As I was building my simple wiki one use that immediately came to mind is using Wikispaces kind as a D2L-like learning management system. While Wikispaces lacks many features of D2L, Wikispaces looks to be a great tool for presenting content and prompting class discussions. Additionally Wikispaces would be a great tool for building online portfolios to track learning. I’d love to see a school implement an eportfoilio spanning multiple grade levels. I would love to see how my writing abilities have improved say at the begging of high school to the end of high school.

-Anthony

Presentation: The ADDIE Model

 Hello everyone,

For my second presentation this week I’ve created a quick Prezi presentation on the ADDIE model of Instructional Design.

http://prezi.com/jlw-mpfi1qyf/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Now days I feel Prezi is a fairly well-known tool amongst educators. Even so, Prezi is a powerful PowerPoint alternative for creating engaging presentations. The great thing about Prezi is that the camera (or point of view) can zoom in and out, and move around the presentation to highlight the relationship between items in the presentation. Whereas a PowerPoint is only capable of flipping back and forth between individual slides, Prezi is uniquely suited to presenting individual bits of information as well as the overall picture.

Was the tool easy to use?

I would say that while many of the features are pretty intuitive and easy to use, Prezi is a difficult program to use correctly. The tools are pretty easy to use, but the design of an engaging Prezi presentation requires a great eye for design and, if you can’t create your own images, take a good bit of luck and/or tweaking to get things right. If you aren’t able to effectively use the zooming and slide transfer features effectively Prezi presentations can quickly turn into PowerPoint like slideshow.

Can you see yourself using this tool with students?

Yes. But not on a regular basis. Creating a Prezi every once in a while can be a fun and engaging experience. But once the initial “wow the camera is flying around” feeling goes away I find Prezi becomes more of a hassle than it is worth. Additionally lately I have been hearing reports that Prezi presentations can make people feel seasick!

What level of Blooms Taxonomy or ISTE standard was addressed with this tool?

The tool itself does not address any single area of Blooms Taxonomy. The subject presented by the tool on the other hand could address any of the three domains of knowledge. My video addressed cognitive knowledge.

Use of this tool could meet many NETS T ISTE standards including (but not at all limited to): 1a, 2a, 3a, 3b, 3d.

Joan O'Mara Mod 6 #3 Symbaloo

I created  a  Symbaloo  webmix to  accompany  the math module I am currently  teaching.  It was easy and fun adding the tiles. I really prefer creating tiles with the website logos as I am a visual identification type. I relate color to a website.I created a mix to support the student learning in terms of games and activities. But I also kept in mind that I too need support when teaching the lessons. And I will also have resource materials for the parents as well. Two of the sites have newsletters to help parents navigate the new math.

When it came to linking to another webmix about the same topic, part of it was relatively easy. I simply Googled link to webmix. After scrolling through the ad block, there were several webmixes to choose.  I especially liked the one I chose for the fact that the blue background    across the bottom indicated to me that those icons were specifically math websites. The first one is the Symbaloo icon tile.

Math support websites

 After linking the first webmix by chance, I scrolled down to find suggested webmixes with counters. The layout is  similar to Amazon books. Hey, look what other people bought! I found a PBS webmix and linked it too.The tile for PBS is the blue button window pane.

Now that I have cruised through the mixes, I can see how Symbaloo organized websites at ones fingertips. I will be using far more interactive games and activities in stations for differentiation. I can use videos at the touch of a button as introductions to topics for Science and Social Studies. I WILL take the time to set up tabs according the subjects. Oh, how I have longed for such a tool. Now I have one!

Joan O’Mara Module 5 #3 Wikispace

I decided to use Wikispace to create a wiki page as a teaching tool / resource for students and parents of all second graders at Laurel Hill Elementary.  The pages guide students and parents through the different math strategies being taught this year using Eureka Math. This is the first FULL implementation of the program in my district. Most of the teachers in my building chose to be early implementers last year. Because I had the experience with the new strategies last year, I am finding teaching and explaining it all a lot easier now. I feel empathetic towards their frustrations with this new program. It can be confusing. But it the end, it is worth it because the students learn more and feel confident about math.

Each page of the wiki is dedicated to an algebraic operation strategy. Each strategy has an illustration and a video to explain the terminology. Because we are a dual language building, the pages are in English and Spanish. This accommodates our Spanish speaking families. Our English-speaking children live in predominantly Spanish-speaking households. So it is important for my students to have access to Spanish resources to practice class works at home.

Since I have been using the wiki for the National-Lewis Workshop, I found the new wiki pages easy to use. I DID finally learn how to embed. I knew how, but on wiki pages, a grey space holds the place of the video. Because I was unaware of this fact, I thought that nothing was embedding. After publishing a page, I realized my mistake as I observed the videos clear as could be!

I have invited my teammates to join the Wikispace with editing capabilities. We are used to collaborating electronically using the Google Apps in Chrome. So I know that with a little coaching, they too will manage the wiki pages.

Take a look! laurelhill2ndgrade

Joan O'Mara Mod 4 #4

Mod 4 #4

QR Codes

I chose to investigate QR Codes.  The codes will be used in the classroom with high frequency words. I plan on creating code cards, similar to flash cards for student use. The students scan the codes with the iPads. After scanning, they will read the word the code illustrates, and then they will record the word creating a personal list of high frequency words. This activity satisfies CCSS RF2.3- Students will be apply to know and apply grade level phonics and word analysis when speaking and writing. 

 

at

and

                                                     

of

the

Using the QR Code Generator was fairly easy. You simply type in the word that the code will represent. Pick a design format. There were three to choose from. Then choose a color for the code. Press done and a code is generated.  I downloaded the codes into a file for printing onto colored card stock.

Because there are 300 words the students must know, I will color code the sets according to grade level acquisition expectations. Then, the students will be able to observe their personal growth through the different sets of cards that are completed with success. The written lists of words generated by the students during the activity will be used as a formative assessment.

Module #4- Option #2 Thinglink Kelly Funk

Thinglink

I created a Thinglink to describe my classroom. I heard about Thinglink at a Tech one day conference I went to. I had shared this with my students and encouraged them to explore this site as part of their project creation. Some students did create Thinglinks for their non-fiction projects when making interactive non-fiction texts and modernizing them.

Examples of Student Work- Giant Pandas & Inner Planets

I hadn't had a chance to explore this site and I am glad I was able to play around with the website. I really like the idea of making an image accessible and allow it to convey hidden information. I decided to add links to pictures of my classroom to give students an idea of where things are in the room. I am going to create a QR code and share this information out with students as they get to know the classroom. Classroom Thinglink

It was easy to use and it saves if you wanted to work on it for part of the time and then go back and edit the Thinglink. I was able to upload the image and add information quickly. I think that this website provides a better way of looking at images. You go beyond the image.

ISTE Standards that this uses:
Creativity & Innovation- Students are able to take information compile it and create a new product.  They create original work with the use of other sources. Thinglink allows students to put all of these elements together in one image.

Research & Information Fluency- Students select the information to add. They are able to look through multiple sources and evaluate which elements are most beneficial to their audience and what they are trying to convey or teach. Students need to be selective when they pick what to link to their image.

The original image

Holmer: Module #4

If you would of asked me what my favorite interactive-poster tool was, I WOULD of said ThingLink. This was my goto tool for student, teachers, sharing resources, app smashing, and showcasing in a demo slam. It has been a few weeks/months since I have used the tool, but the free version is NOTHING compared to what it used to be. Now in order to get the editing options that really bring a picture to life, you have to pay.

Now with this being said, I still love Thinglink. Being able to easily link your Google account to a universally accessible (web, Android, and iOS) presentation tool is a pleasant surprise in the EdTech community. The app was easy to open and get things rolling. I went with a hosted image and starting adding tags to support the topic of TED. I have done a few conferences on TED and will be hosting a TEDx event this year. Thought this would be a great addition to my presentation and something to share with teachers new to TED. I went with the focus of creating strong presentations and the skills required to do so.

My favorite feature of ThingLink is the “app smashing” capabilities. People unfamiliar with this term, it means to combine tools (analog or digital) to create the best product that meets the overarching learning objective. You can learn more about “app smashing” here. Being able to link to other digital tools in a quick-and-easy manner isn’t always EASY. Thinglink embeds most web addresses from other services with a quick tag. I also have seen some teachers create an infographic or diagram to use as the background image and then tag for more resources; this is very popular like Tackk and Smore.

ThingLink is multi-functional tool. It can take the shape of a “resource-board” for teachers or an interactive presentation for students. When looking for a simple presentation tool, I usually recommended it because of the app and sharing features. As for the ISTE standards for students, it is an open-ended tool allowing for authentic creativity and technology-use. Also students can easily share and publish their work for peers and professionals to view. As for digital research, it does link to outside resources, but this requires further investigation to deem credible of the sources. This does lend to critical thinking and problem solving skills for the students.

Add-on: the video tagging feature is great, but has room to grow. I would check out EdPuzzle, VideoAnt, eduCanon, YouTube Creator, or Zaption.

Holmer: Module #6

I will start by saying I have crazy respect for Adam Bellow. Seen him speak, met him in person, and can’t wait to see him deliver the ICE 2015 keynote. The reason I mention Mr. Bellow is his connection to EduClipper, he is the founder and creator of the amazing portfolio/resource/collaboration tool.

I used this activity to create a list of resources for a training I am conducing on Hapara. Our teachers will be new to this tool and I thought a collection of resources would be a nice takeaway following their training. The Board contains mostly links with one uploaded image. Compared to other online “clipping” tools, EduClipper is easy to use and probably the best choice for student use. I have used Blendspace with my students in the past and find Listly similar, but doesn’t offer much more function. Educlipper was easy to setup and offers pre-created boards and clips to “steal” from. Having an iOS app makes it even better for many 1:1 districts.

The only issue I have had with EduClipper is it can be a little buggy and slow. I remember switching services when the app was first released because I couldn’t even get a small group of students to get it working. Since then, the web version and app have been updated. I did encounter similar issues when creating my board, but kept pace in order to complete the assignment. For classroom use, this might of been enough to switch to a more dependable tool. Also, I am completing this assignment within a Starbucks and the Internet could be the main cause.

Main takeaways from the tool:

• Easy to use and love that is tied to my Google account (perfect for GAFE schools)
• Web and app friendly
• Quick class creation and join code options 
• Teacher options include: groups, upload roster, upload/share files easily, privacy controls, and assignment creation
• Upload files from any source, including Google Drive
• Ideal portfolio tool (free, free, and more free)
• Collaborative boards
• Reuse previously uploaded material quickly

Possible Uses:

• Personal or student web-portfolio
• Assignment resource
• Assignment directions and expectations
• Presentation resource 
• Training resource

Joan O'Mara Animoto-Landforms Video

I chose to create a learning tool for my classroom. The tool is a vocabulary video using illustrated flashcards and photographs. The flashcards contain illustrated vocabulary words for the landforms unit taught to second graders. We begin this unit immediately in the year. Communities are established based on location. Location is selected based on the landforms: soil and water. I felt something was missing with the existing flashcards. The students were not able to grasp the vocabulary as readily as I had imagined they would.

Thus, I was inspired to reflect on an existing teaching tool, the flashcards, and bump it up to include technology to enhance learning. I really like the definitions paired with the illustrations. But I realized that an important aspect of the information was missing-the realia.

After looking through all the examples, I came across the name of a program I recognized, Animoto. It really is as advertised, “digital storytelling in its simplest form.”  All that is needed is to upload images and put them in any order as you wish. I included text, music, and images- illustrations and photographs. Animoto transfers the media to video for you. I’m in!

The process is a bit time consuming because of all the uploading. My first mistake was uploading all my photos at once. My second mistake was choosing photos that had too few pixels for generating the video. I recommend inputting the photo immediately after uploading it. Animoto alerts you instantly if the photo is an incorrect size. Once I realized my mistake, I was more careful in choosing appropriate photos to accommodate the program. I also learned to dig into a photo file to confirm a compatible sizing. Another first!

So, today I used the web to seek out the best photographic examples of realia to bring the illustrations to life. I purposely selected photographs of local landforms as well as culturally connected landforms. My students are culturally American, Polish and Mexican. I selected some landmarks outside this parameter to connect to staff members whom the children interact with regularly. That is why you see landforms from all around the world, not just the United States. I liked too, that captions can be included on the photos reinforce the learning.

After uploading all items, I created text frames to guide the students through some terminology I felt was confusing.  Then it’s a simply procedure to put the frames in order. Essentially, it is sorting like Power Point. To preview, simply click the button and the video program creates the special effects of Power Point for you. This saved me bunches of time because programming a Power Point presentation is something that I immerse myself in, to the point of perfection.

Also included in the program is a vast music library. Because I was working with earth forms, it felt quite natural to choose classical music. Also, research shows that classical music enhances learning. Thus, jump aboard Beethoven, my go to guy in the classroom.

But what excites me most, it that this program will be attainable for my students to learn to use. I am eager to try it this year now that I have had the experience myself. It was a lot easier than I thought is would be. A colleague shared it with me last year. In a word, it overwhelmed me. No more! My students will be exposed to the experience. Those who grasp it will serve as peer tutors. I can also see this the fifth grade buddies helping their second grade friends with this tool. I am certain the 11 year olds can mange it.

Landforms Video
https://youtu.be/wCCChObqq5M